The holidays are over, and the tree is taken down. The dreariness of January settles over the valley like a cold wet blanket, and the excitement of newly fallen snow has waned long ago. As February comes along our souls begin to ache for the warmth and new life of spring. What can possibly brighten our days during times of dark solitude?
If we take a moment to walk away from our busy schedules and hectic lives, we can perhaps see that Mother Nature is teaching us a valuable lesson - the need to rest. "Oh dear ones," she seems to say, "Kick off your boots, snuggle into your blanket, close your weary eyes, and rest."
I have often wondered what it would be like to be a farm girl in a warm place like California where the growing season never ends, and I find myself grateful for the blanket of snow over my fields that tells me to slow down and just breathe for a moment. I am reminded of the importance of time that passes so quickly as I observe the tender young lives of my children. Time to spend to together; time to lose myself in the comforting pages of a book; time to look back and remember and truly see all the times God has watched over us and made miraculous things happen.
What a beautiful and precious gift time is, and I feel for myself that if Mother Nature didn't force me to slow down and rest, I would forget to stop and see all the beautiful things in my life, and I would miss it.
So today, as I look out my window at the newly fallen snow, I am choosing to be grateful that God is giving me a bit more time to rest. Spring will come. Life will burst forth anew, and we will awaken from our winter slumber refreshed and excited to embrace the new adventures waiting before us.
God bless you, my dear friends; for all of you who have touched my life are truly the dearest of friends. Rest Well! - Melissa/Farmgirl
A Farm Girl's Poem
The fields are all sleeping, not ready to wake.
What will you do, dear farmer, during your winter break?
Will you sleep until noon and wile away your days?
Or busily prepare for spring in so many ways?
There is funding to pursue and piles of bills to pay,
The fertilizer and seeds to order without any delay.
The long listing of jobs to accomplish in spring,
Like mowing and weeding and ditches to clean.
Equipment to repair and blades we must sharpen,
Taxes to file and employees to hearken.
“Calling all helpers, the farm will awake!”
“We need lots of hands, so go grab a rake!”
Perhaps we are packaging the last of the harvest
And finding new contracts so winter won’t starve us.
Then packing our fruit in a bottle of jam
And pouring it over the last of the ham.
The days may be shorter, but there’s sure lots to do
So farmers must rest, the brave and the few.
With a hot cup of joe and a seed catalog to ponder,
We finally give in to the old call of winter.
Lay down your head and climb under your blanket.
Mother Nature is teaching a lesson, so take it!
Stop and remember to count all your blessings.
The farm, friends and family are life’s fancy dressing!
- Melissa/Farmgirl
